Coin holding and delivering machine.



PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

I. W. MBAKER.

COIN HOLDING AND DELIVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.16, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

05 forrzey.

If: NORRIS PETER: ca, wAsnmuroN, n. c.

No. 843,225. PATENTED FEB. 51907. J. W. MEAKER. COIN HOLDING AND DELIVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.16. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"is NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

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PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

J. W. MBAKER.

BRING MACHINE.

COIN HOLDING AND DBLIV APPLICATION FILED OOT.18, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ms NORRIS rsrsns cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. MEAKER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO MEAKER SALES COMPANY, OF DE'TIROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

COIN HOLDING AND DELIVERING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed October 16,1905. $erial No. 282,992.

1'0 (11M 'w/wm it 71mg con/crow:

Re it lcnowii that l, JouN W. MEAKER, a citizen of the Ul'tiittl States, formerly of Ohi cage, lllinois, and w residing at Detroit, in the county of e and State of Michigan, have iiiv r and useful Improve- I111; s iii (loin Hold 1 g and Delivering Illachiiies, of which the following is a speciilication.

in an application for Letters Patent tiled by me on the 12th day of October, 1905, Serial \'o. 282,426, 1 show and describe a coin ho l and delirerii'ig machine havin an auto ically retracted coin eject "1 key carryi; a coin-ejector which is maintained. in e LII; with the coin or coins to be eje the hand of the operator used in operating the key and which is free to fall Jenealh the coins IGAIfillllitg' in the com-recei itacle when the key is released by the operator to per iit it to return to its normal or retracted position.

My present invention relates to a coinkey or key rccchaziisin having the above-stair l eneral characteristics as the key or ejectin irechanistn tiisclosea in my aforesaid application for Letters Patent, but Kill tiring therefrom both in construction and iii Maxie of operation, the obicct of the present invention being to sitnplify the coutruction and iinprore the operation of change-making machines, as will hereinafter appear.

V The invention consists in the matters hereinafter 1 cribed, and pointed out in the appended cla"-s.

lieferrilr, to the accompzmying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiments of my invention, Figure 'l is a front elevation of a coin holur and delivering machine de d for hole] and delivering United I 's. 2 and 3 are sectional views of the s aadary frame of the machine on line 2 3 of Fig. 1, illustrating different posiliozis of the coin-ejecti key. Fig. 4 is a sectional VIEW of the secondary frame of the machine, taken on line L of Fig. Fig. is a car elevation of the secondary frame of I the machine removed from the u'iain frame;

and l i' (3 is a secional v'ew ccrrcsponting to illustrating a modified form of the C(llll-i lOLrlT-{I key.

bodied in a machine designed for holding and delivering gold coin; but it is to be understood that it may be applied to machines for holding and delivering silver and copper coins such, for instance, as the machine illustrated in Letters Patent No. 790,218, granted to me May 16, 1905.

111 the machine illustrated A and A indicate two vertical parallel end plates connected together by two or more rods a, (only one of which is illustrated in the draw ings,) the saicl enrt plates and connecting-rods constituting the main frame of the machine, which a'lfortts a support for a detachable secondary frame in which the coin receptacles or grooves are located and in which the coinejectiug mechanisms are mounted. Said secondary frame comprises a longitucinal top plate B, a longituuinal bottom plate C, cnlpt plates 1.) and l), and a verticallycorru-. gateil plate E. The top and bottom plates B and C extend across the front of the machine between the end plates A and A of the main frame with their front l'nargins hori- Zoutal and parallel with each other. Both plates B and U are inclined from their front margins downwardly and rearwarclly, the So front margins of the top plate being located rearwarily of the front margin of the bottom plate. The vertically-corrugated plate E is secured between the top and bottom plates B and O and inclines downwardly and. 8 5 for-warmly from its upper to its lower edge. The outwaraly-facing grooves in said plate E constitute the coin-licking grooves or re ccptaclcs of the machine, the bottoms of which, on which are supported the columns or piles of coins placed in said grooves, being formed by the front marginal part of the bottom plate O. The end plates D and D of the secondary frame are secured to the top and bottom plates B and C, and the front 5 margins of said end plates are bent outwaiuly at right angles to the plates to form llanges (Z on the plates, which flanges rest against the inclined front edges a of the end plates A and A of the main frame, said plates 1 00 A and A being proyi l with shoulders o one on each, for engaging the lower end of the llanges (Z d and supporting the secondary frame, as illustrated and described in my aforesaid application for patent.

The corrugated plate E, as shown in the drawings, is shape-a1 to form four coin-receiving grooves or troughs, which face outwardly toward the front of the machine and the bottoms of which are formed by the continuous bottom plate 0, extending forwardly far enough for the purpose. The several coin grooves or receptacles (lettered in the drawings e to e) are made of varying sizes to receive coins of different sizes and denominations. In the machine shown, which is intended for United States gold coins, the grooves e to e are respectively appropriated to twenty-dollar, ten-dollar, fivedollar, and two-and-one-half-dollar gold pieces.

Above the forward part of the bottom plate 0, between the several coin-receiving grooves in the corrugated plate E, are located vertical partition-plates 1*, which proj ect forwardly from the angles of said corrugated plate between the grooves and are provided at or near their forward ends with stop lugs or projections f, which project laterally from said plates 1* toward the center lines of the several grooves. Said lugs or projections f are intended to prevent the delivering at one time from the lower ends of the grooves (by the action of the ejecting or delivery devices to be described) of more than a single coin or other desired number of coins. The stop f, which projects toward the center of the groove e, is formed on a projection of the end plate D. The lower edge of the stops f is located at a distance above the top surface of the bottom plate C a distance equal to the thickness of the coin which the particular groove is intended to hold and deliver, so that only a single coin can pass between said lug and the upper surface of said plate. here two, three, or more coins are to be ejected at once from 'a groove, said stop projectionf is located a distance above the top surface of the bottom plate equal to the combined thickness of the number of coins which are to be ejected at one time from the groove.

The features thus far described are substantially as described in my aforesaid application for patent.

Now referring to the devices for ejecting the coins from the' several grooves or receptacles, these will be alike for all of the coin receiving grooves and only one will therefore be described in detail. The ejecting device as a whole is termed by me the coin-ejecting key, and it consists of an automatically-retracted slide carrying an ejector which is adapted to engage the lowermost coin or coins in the receptacle and eject said coins therefrom when the key is pulled forward, said ejector being freely movable by means of said key into and out of the plane of said coin or coins, the said slide being also provided with a finger-piece adapted to be engaged by the finger of the operators hand used in drawing the key forward and through which the operator maintains the ejector in engagement with the coin or coins being ejected, the organization being such that the ejector will drop beneath the coins remaining in the receptacle when the key is released by the operator for permitting it to return to its normal or retracted position. Any preferred means may be employed for causing the key to automatically return to its retracted position; but I prefer that it be arranged to return by gravity, as hereinafter described.

As illustrated in the drawings, all of the keys are slidably mounted below and at the rear of the coin receptacle or grooves, and for this purpose the bottom plate 0 of the secondary frame of the it achine extends rearwardly from the receptacles sufficiently to afford a support for a plate C, which has its front and rear margins bent upwardly thereto and secured to the under side of the plate C to form a box or box-like structure G, extending across the secondary frame for supporting and partially housing all of the keys of the machine. The box (3r, allowably closed at its ends, has its top wall formed by the plate C and its bottom and its front and rear walls 9 and g formed by the plate C. Said box is inclined downwardly and rearwardly, as shown, in order that the coin-ejecting keys 1r. ay be normally held by gravity in a retracted position and also to pern: it them to autoir. atically return to such position after they have been moved for ejecting a coin.

The n". ain or body portion of the coin-ejecting key K is preferably 11: ade from a strip of n. etal bent into the form illustrated in Fig. 4, the central portion of the nietal strip being bent to form the loop or ring it at the forward end of the key and the two ends of the strip being bent back to form the two parallel arms 7: and it, which are slidably mounted in slots 9 and 9 formed in the front and rear walls g and g of the box G. The rear ends of the amt s It and k project beyond the rear wall of said box and are connected together outside of said box by a rod or bar 763, which by contact with said rear wall serves to line it the forward lliOVGlllQlll) of the key. The projecting rear ends of all of the keys are covered and protected by the plate 0, which is extended rearwardly beyond the box G and bent downwardly, as at c, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A plate 16 is rigidly secured between the arrrs 7c and k in front of the box G, and said plate extends below the irain portion of the key to form a finger-piece 76", by n: eans of which the key is drawn forward. Projecting upwardly from the plate It is an ejector 7r, which engages the lowermost coin or coins in the receptacle and by n'teans of which said coin or coins are pushed forward from the receptacle. The loop or ring 7c, forming a forward extension of the ejecting-key, is lit ade large enough to perm it the coins to pass therethrough into the hand of the operator, and at a point opposite the ejector k said ring or loop 70 is provided with an inwardly-projectinc; edge or lug 7.1 which forrs a support for the front marginal edge of the coin being ejected by the key, and at each side of said lodge or lug 7\: the ring 7.: projects above said lug, as at Yr to engage the front edge of the coin and prevent it from being thrown forward by the key, as will be hereinafter explained.

Mounted between the arirs 7c and A. of the key and journaled therein is a roller L, which rests upon the Lotton wall of the box G and serves to fit it the rearward n ove i ent of the key by contact withthe r arwall gof said box, the inclination of tho tox being such as to cause the key to 110121 ally rest w ith said roller in contact with said rear wall, as illustratct in Fig. 2. The main purpose of said roller is to reduce the friction btlAVGUll the key and its supports; but it also serves as a weight which assists in returning the key to its ret acted position after it has been drawn forward for ejecting a coin.

When the key is in its retracted position, the ejector 7r projects through a slot 0 in the bottom plate U behind the low ermost *oin or coins of the stack of coins M, Fig. 2, in the ooin-rece'p lacle, and the lug 1- on the forward extension of the key is just beneath the front margin of the lowermost coin. The ejector 7r orojects above the bottom plate 0 a suflicient eistance to engaj e the min or coins to be ejected, and its uvward movementis limited by the upperci of thoplate 7r, which contacts with the under surface of the l)()ii(ll1}'?liti0 C at each side of the slot 0, as best illustrated in Fig. 1. In the retraetei position of the key the ejector /t: is held in its elevated "position b r a aim-surface m, formed on the bottom cri es of the arms 7; and if, which normally rest on the bottom walls of the slots 5/, in which sai l arms are slitlably mounted. At the r :a of said camsurfaces m said arms are slightly reduced in vertical dimensions to permit the forward en l of the key o drop when the key is pulled forward, as illustrated in dotted lines in F 'lo eject a coin, the operator nlaces a l" of his u'owarc'ily-open hanii bohinsi the lingerpieee k and eraws the key forward, during which movement the ejector 71:" w ill be maintaineii in engagement with the lowermost coin or coins n by the pressure of the operator's 'firiger, and sail -oin or coins will be carried fblWVtlfl from beneath the stack or pile of coins far enough to be remove from the si no fling bottom plate C and drop into l ,i hand of the onerato'. l'hcn the i schargeil into the hanil, the key is released by the operator and its forward one i to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, tierrnitting the ejector to pa freely beneath the coins remainingin the recon a do in the rearward or return movement of the key.

In the forward movement of the keythe entire keyis carried upwardly from t he ,osii ion illustrated in Fig. 2 to the position illustrated in 3, the roller :11 traveling up the inclined )ottoni wall of the box G- and the key being guided by the slots o and 9, in which it is sli iably mounted. As soon as the key isroleased by the (merator it will return by its own weight to its initial retracted position, and as it approaches the limit 0 f its rearward movement its front end will be raised by tho am-surfaces m on the arms 7r and 7f, so that tho ejector 7r will be in proper position to engage the next coin or coins to be ejected.

For preventing the reins lrom being thrown too far forward. or thrown beyond the o'pcratcns hand b a quick forward movement of the key .l have provided the latter with the ring portion /t' at its forward cud, which is proyizlel with the lug /r and. the upwardly-projecting portions Yr fir, hercinbcfore referred to. Said upwari -',irojcctin;;' portions 7r 7f serve as stops for arresting the fo warzl movement of the coin being ejected, and the lug 7; serves to support the foiwaro marjgginal ea; of the coin until it has been *arried beyond the sup orting bottom "plate C, so that the forward co 0 of the coin will be upheld while the rear (n 0 drops down, as illustrated in dotted lines at n in Fig. 5-}. 'lhc coin will thus be compelled to (i "on close to the linger-niece of the key into the operator's ugwvartily-open hanzt and cannot be projected beyond the cgferatofs hand no matter how quick or with what force the key may be operated.

in Fig. 6 .l: have ilhntratid a ccin-cjccling key embodying the main features (f my invention in a modifi d ferm. in this instance the key K is providrd with a pair cf arms it, which are slidablyancuntrd in slots 75 in the front wall cf the box (l, but insti'atl of said arms cxtinding tln'tugh the rear wall cf the box, as ldfafl'i lbscribzid, they cxtrnd t nly far crnugh in the box to form supports fir the rcllcr L, which rests on tl c ircttam wall of the hex at each side of a slot Z, said slot bring cccupiwl by an annular p1"; =jccting perti n Z" of the nllcr, which lraytls in said Flat, and thus siryfs ti: guide the rear and (f the kcy, and which also i s a weight, in the key bcfr re (lT lrd. The fr; nt (nil if the key is proyidtd with an tjltier r and a finger-pkce and has a limitrd y tical unvemcnt, its downward movement aminolimitrd by the lifif ifilntl of the slots in. which the arms 7r" cf the kty are nnuntd. The upward lncycmrnt t f the key is limitd by the cngagimcnt if a shtulilrr Z with the under surface of the bcttom plat? but rjid ll 1'- ward cud ef the key nrrmally rm to in its lowrs-t pitllla n, in which p: :rili n the eject r 7;" is bilew the plane of the .owrrnn rtt c; in in the c in-rcciptaclc, as illustrated in said big. 6. "hen the key is drawn forward for croting a coin, the pressure of the operators fingers on the finger-piece k first causes the forward end of the key to be lifted, so that the ejector is will be in proper position to engage and eject the coin, and as the forward move ment is continued the ejector will be maintained in engagement with the coin being ejected until the key is released by the operators hand to permit it to return to its retracted position, and when so released the forward end of the key will drop, so that the ejector may freely pass beneath the coins remaining in the receptacle.

In the key illustrated in Fig. 6 the ejector is raised into the position for engagement with the coin or coins to be ejected by force of the operators finger and at the beginning of the forward movement of the key, instead of by means of a cam acting at the end of the rear movement of the key, as in the figures previously described, while in both constructions the ejector is maintained in engagement with said coin or coins in their forward movement by the operators finger.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. The combination with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins constructed to permit the discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of a slidably-mounted, automatically-retracted coin-ejecting key carrying an ejector to engage the lowermost coin or coins in the receptacle, said key being vertically movable for carrying the ejector into and out of the plane of said coin or coins to be ejected, said key having a finger-piece adapted to be engaged by a finger of the operator for operating the key and through which the operator sustains the ejector in the plane of the coin or coins being ejected.

, 2. The combination with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins constructed to permit the discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an automatically-retracted, coin-ejecting key carrying a coinejector to engage the lowermost coin or coins in the receptacle, said key being vertically movable for carrying the ejector into or out of the plane of said coin or coins when moved from its retracted position, and a finger-piece adapted to be engaged by a finger of the operator for operating the key and through which the operator sustains the ejector in engagement with the coin or coins being ejected.

3. The combination with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins constructed to permit the discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an automatically-retracted, coin-ejecting key carrying a coin.- ejector to engage the lowermost coin or coins in the receptacle, said key being freely movable for carrying the ejector into or out of the plane of said coin or coins when moved from its retracted position, a finger-piece adapted to be engaged by a finger of the operator for operating the key and through which the operator maintains the ejector in engagement with the coin or coins being ejected, and means for automatically raising said key during its rearward movement.

4. The combination with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins constructed to permit the discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an automatically-retracted, coin-ejecting key, slidably mounted at the rear of said receptacle and movable beneath the same, the forward end of said key having a limited vertical movement when the key is moved from its retracted position, a coin-ejector carried by said forward end of the key, and a finger-piece also at the forward end of the key adapted to be engaged by a finger of the operator for operating the key and through which the forward end of the key is maintained by the operator in its elevated position.

5. The combination with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins constructed to permit the discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an upwardly and forwardly inclined guideway at the rear of said receptacle, and a coinejecting key slidably mounted in said guideway, said key being normally held in its retracted position by the inclination of said guideway.

6. The combination with a rece tacle for a stack or pile of coins constructec to permit the discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an upwardly and forwardly inclined guideway at the rear of said receptacle, a coin ejecting key slidably mounted in said guideway and having its forward .end arranged to move beneath said receptacle, said forward end of the key being freely movable toward and from the plane of the lowermostcoin in the receptacle when the key is moved from its retracted position, a coin-ejector carried by the forward end of the key, and a finger-piece also carried by the forward end of the key adapted to be engaged by a finger of the operator for operating the key and through which the forward end of the key is maintained by the operator in its elevated position during such forward movement.

7. In a coin holding and delivering machine, the combination of a coin-receptacle having a slotted bottom plate upon which the coin rests, an upwardly and forwardly inclined guideway supported by said bottom plate at the rear of said receptacle, a coinejecting key slid ably mounted in said guideway and normally held in its retracted position by the inclination of the guideway and having its forward end arranged to move beneath said receptacle, a finger-piece at the forward end of said key adapted to be en "gage d by a finger of the operator for operating the key, and a coin-ejector carried by said forward end of the key arranged to projeet through the slot in said bottom plate.

8. In a coin holding and delivermg machine the combination of a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins constructed to permit the discharge of one or more coins from the A lower end thereof, of an upwardly and forwardly inclined box at the rear of the receptacle, and a coin-ejecting key slidably mounted in and partially housed by said box, said key being held in its retracted position by the inclination of said box.

9. in a coin holding and delivering machine, the combination of a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins adapted for the discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, said receptacle having a bottom plate upon which the coins rest, an upwardly and forwardly inclined box at the rear of said receptacle supported by a rearwardly-extend ing portion of said bOttOlli plate, a coin-ejecting key slidably mounted in said box and partially housed thereby, the forward end of said key being provided with a finger-piece and with an ejector adapted to engage the lowermost coin or coins in said receptacle.

10. The combination with a I'OGOPLtICiO for a stack or pile of coins adapLed for the discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of a coin-ejecting key having a roller mourned thereon and forming a pivoral support therefor, an upwardly and forwardly inclined guideway in which said roller is mounted, and a coin-ejector and a linger-piece at the forward end of the key.

1 1. The (jOll'lbillitLiOll, with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins adapted for the dis charge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an upwardly and forwardly inclined support, a coin-ejecting key having a roller mounted thereon which travels on said support, the forward end of the key be ing arranged to move below the coin-receptacle and having a coin-ejector and a fingerpiece projecting therefrom.

12. The combination with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins adapted for the forward discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an automatically-retracted, coin-ejecting key provided with a finger-piece below the coin-receptacle and adapted to be drawn forward by a linger of the operators upwardly-open hand applied to said linger-piece, an ejecror carried by said key and adapted to engage the lowermost com or coins in the receptacle and LO eject said coin or coins therefrom. in.o the upwardly-open hand of the operator, and means for arresting the forward movement of the coin or coins ejected.

13. The combination with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins adapted for the forward discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an amomaically-rellitCxOd, coin-ejecting key provided with a :lingerpiece below the coin-receptacle and adapted to be drawn forward by a finger of the operalors upwardly-opeii hand applied to said linger-piece, an ejeck or carried by said key and adapted to engage the lowermost coin or coins in the receptacle and to eject said coin or coins therefrom lino the upwardlyopen hand of the operaior, and a stop carried by said key for arresting the forward movement of the coin or coins ejected.

14. '.he combination with a receptacle for a stack or pile of coins adapied for the for ward discharge of one or more coins from the lower end thereof, of an ftULOllittiOttllY-FO- iraeted, coin-ejecting key provided with a linger-piece below the coin-receptacle and adapted to be drawn forward by a finger of the operators upwardly-open hand applied to said linger-piece, an ejector carried by said key and ZttllLPtCd to engage the lowermost coin or coins in the receptacle and eject said coins therefron'i into the upwardly-o pen hand of the operator, a stop carried by said key in advance of said coin orcoins for arresting the forward movement thereof, and a support for the marginal edge of the lO\YOI'lllOSL coin being ejected.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscrilnng witnesses.

JOHN W MEAKER.

\Vitnesses:

Win P. LANE, Cums. J. SANNER. 

